NCAA regional qualifier Katie Yamamura was selected as MPSF Gymnast of the Year back in March.(Mark Honbo, Athletics Communications)

May 18, 2012

DAVIS, Calif. -
UC Davis junior gymnast Katie Yamamura was selected to the Capital One Academic All-District women's at-large first team, as voted by the College Sports Information Directors of America. As a first-team honoree, she advanced to the balloting for Academic All-American. A native of Palo Alto, Calif. and a Gunn High School graduate, Yamamura is the first Aggie gymnast to earn such honors since Poppy Major garnered third-team All-America distinction in 2000-01.

To be nominated, a student-athlete must be a starter or "important reserve" with a cumulative grade-point average of 3.30 or better. Furthermore, he/she must have participated in at least 50 percent of the team's contests, must have attended his/her current institution for a full calendar year and must have reached sophomore or later academic standing. Yamamura was one of 10 winners from District VIII, which represents the West region.

The last UC Davis student-athlete to win a Capital One Academic All-America nod in any sport was soccer player Mustafa Chopan, who captured such honors last fall.

After an injury-plagued sophomore year, Yamamura enjoyed an outstanding junior season in 2012. She earned All-Mountain Pacific Sports Federation honors in all four events, plus the all-around, en route to earning MPSF Gymnast of the Year accolades. Yamamura also claimed six MPSF Gymnast of the Week awards, captured the conference titles on both vault and uneven bars, held the MPSF's highest regional-qualifying score on vault, bars and all-around, and set a school record with a 39.225 on March 11. She was one of two Aggies to advance to the NCAA Seattle Regional, her second career trip to the national postseason.

Academically, Yamamura holds a 3.96 GPA in her major of neuriobiology, physiology and behavior. She made the MPSF All-Academic squad in late April, and will claim NACGC/W All-Academic status when those awards are announced over the upcoming summer.